


Safe

by Heather_Night



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Actors, Bodyguard, Falling In Love, Fire, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Old Friends, Protective Deran, Rope Bondage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-24 15:28:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21720184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heather_Night/pseuds/Heather_Night
Summary: Deran never thought shooting a film would be boring but it sure as shit was.  There was a lot of standing around and waiting, something about getting the right shots, and very little action.This was by far the easiest gig they’d ever taken.As for keeping the star safe, the only threat Deran had noticed was how the wardrobe chick liked to touch Adrian.
Relationships: Deran Cody/Adrian Dolan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22
Collections: Animal Kingdom ▶ Deran Cody / Adrian Dolan





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> I like the idea of Renn and Adrian being friends and this story incorporates that along with the whole bodyguard and actor trope.
> 
> Allthehearteyes read an early draft of this and has my thanks for the feedback.

Deran never thought shooting a film would be boring but it sure as shit was. There was a lot of standing around and waiting, something about getting the right shots, and very little action.

This was by far the easiest gig they’d ever taken.

As for keeping the star safe, the only threat Deran had noticed was how the wardrobe chick liked to touch Adrian.

“Quiet on the set. Action!” Renn yelled the instructions and everyone snapped to their roles.

Adrian looked good in the distressed jeans that clung to his ass and thighs and the white button-down shirt, rolled up his forearms, molded to his biceps, chest and waist. He didn’t really understand why the character would be running around barefoot in this scene since the pavement was hot but there was no denying it was a good look on Adrian.

The wardrobe chick might be a little too handsy but she sure knew how to dress Adrian for maximum impact.

Oh, that’s right, this was the puppy scene. Adrian and his co-star had laughed uproariously about Adrian’s character being lured outside and kidnapped by someone using a puppy. It actually fit Adrian’s character from what Deran could tell; he resembled a human Golden Retriever, sweet and enthusiastic toward anyone who paid him attention.

Adrian’s character—Deran couldn’t remember the name—leaned down and looked under the car. He stood up. “Sorry, man, she’s not under the car anymore.”

Deran straightened as the tall, muscular actor—Randy—walked behind Adrian. It wasn’t a textbook chokehold because that would’ve prevented Adrian from thrashing in the villain’s hold but from where Deran was standing it looked real enough. Randy’s huge bicep rested against Adrian’s neck and when his other bulging arm reached around and grabbed the other arm’s elbow and squeezed, Adrian moaned.

He thrashed.

He tugged ineffectually on Randy’s arm.

Randy shook him a bit like a terrier with a toy—the world’s largest terrier maybe—and Adrian succumbed, wilting in the big guy’s hold with a throaty moan.

When Adrian sagged in Randy’s arms, Deran took a step forward but Craig was there to grab his arm and keep him from making an ass of himself.

It was unsettling watching as Randy slung Adrian’s limp body into his arms and deposited him in the trunk, arranging his long limbs and doing something else. Probably brushing the hair softly from Adrian’s slack face. 

The Steadicam guy was right there to record it for the world to see so Deran supposed he’d see it at a later date.

He shrugged it off, thinking about the scene. There was something about seeing Adrian dominated like that; it put ideas in Deran’s head.

Ideas of him taking control of Adrian’s body.

Deran jumped when Randy slammed the trunk down. 

The same alto voice, Renn in full director mode, yelled, “Print!”

There were smiles and some small cheers at this news; this was the last scene of the day and everyone was eager to be on their way, Deran included. There was only so much being around Adrian he could take before he felt like he was losing his mind.

Randy, despite having a menacing look, was actually a very nice guy and he hit the lever on the FOB he withdrew from his pocket to pop it open and let Adrian out.

Nothing happened.

He did it two more times before turning his head to seek out Deran. “It won’t open.”

“Someone try the trunk release lever in the car.” Deran called out as he approached the vehicle. People darted out of his way. He tapped the top of the trunk. “Adrian?”

He remembered when they were eight and Adrian had accidentally been locked in a closet. It had been hours before Adrian’s mother had found him and it was safe to say the guy had a well-founded phobia about being locked in tight, dark spaces.

“Deran?” Adrian’s voice was small and he sounded out of breath.

“Hang tight for a minute. We’ll get you out.” Deran tried to project a calming voice but it was difficult because he was angry. This was just a stupid film. There was no need for Adrian to be trapped in the trunk when he was scared. What the fuck was wrong with these people?

“I tried the trunk release cable. I think it’s jammed.” Adrian’s voice was louder this time but Deran heard the quiver in it.

Chuck, the Best Boy, rushed up to Deran. “The release on the dashboard didn’t work.”

Of course, it didn’t. What a clusterfuck. 

Deran brushed by Chuck and opened the rear door on the driver’s side. It took a little fumbling but he found the release to fold the backseat down. “Adrian, roll this way.”

He could hear Adrian moving around and soon a pale hand emerged. Deran grasped it and gently tugged Adrian until he shimmied into the open. “You okay?”

Adrian bit his lip and nodded his head. It was a bad sign he wasn’t saying anything but at least he wasn’t stuck in the trunk anymore. 

Deran felt someone behind him and turned to verify it was Craig. His brother’s voice was softer than usual as he checked on their client. “Yo, Adrian, you okay?”

“Been better.” At least Adrian was talking.

He offered his hands and Adrian took them, letting Deran tug him up and out the door. It wasn’t a smooth exit and Deran had to catch Adrian as he stumbled, his hand splayed against Adrian’s back to support him. They were practically eye to eye which meant Adrian’s knees were sagging. Deran deposited him on the seat, sideways, so his feet—sexy naked feet—were planted on the ground. Adrian leaned his forearms on his thighs and took some calming breaths.

Deran touched Adrian’s shoulder; his friend’s tense muscles relaxed beneath his touch.

Someone approached and Deran listened as Renn talked to Craig, his attention only partially on their conversation. He wanted to get Adrian out of here.

Take care of him.

Renn hip-checked him to the side and bent over so she was close to Adrian. “Hey, doll, I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Adrian pushed himself upright and gave the woman a weak smile. “I hope you liked that take because I’m not sure you’ll be able to get me back into the trunk without actually knocking me out this time.”

She patted his cheek and Deran tensed; he didn’t like anyone touching Adrian these days.

Except for himself. 

Shit. So much for wanting to put some distance between himself and the guy. The idea of leaving Adrian’s side made his stomach churn.

“It was perfect. Now why don’t you get out of here and get some rest. Char said you’re carrying a lot of baggage beneath your eyes and as your director I’m telling you to get at least eight hours of sleep.” Renn brushed Adrian’s bangs off of his face.

Deran crossed his arms and hung on tight so he didn’t do something stupid, like push Renn aside.

Adrian pulled a face. “Sorry. The insomnia is back.”

“Why don’t you take a pill?” Renn’s question was innocent enough but Deran’s muscles bunched and he fidgeted in response; he had seen first-hand how pills could fuck things up and he didn’t want anyone pushing them on his friend.

He relaxed when Adrian rolled his eyes at his friend. “They knock me out. Don’t give me that look. I mean the Ambien really hits me hard and I’m almost impossible to wake up.”

Ambien was a prescription drug. Sure, it could be abused but it didn’t sound like Adrian took them all that often.

Now that Renn had mentioned it, Deran noticed the exhausted lines in the set of Adrian’s face. He didn’t see any bags or shadows but he’d watched as the make-up artist had painted what he thought was an excessive amount of bondo on Adrian who he still considered the most beautiful man Deran had ever seen. 

Deran pulled an internal face; he was getting downright sappy and that shit needed to stop. He had a job to do.

Renn patted Adrian lightly on his cheek. “I’m sure your bodyguard will make sure you wake up. Now, scram!”

Deran watched his brother watching the woman sashay away; Craig really liked Renn and he sensed she was interested back. 

Turning his attention back to Adrian he put a hand out. “Come on, let’s get your stuff from your trailer. You can stay with me tonight.” He would watch over Adrian while he got some badly needed rest.

He expected some argument or even a flat-out refusal. Instead Adrian nodded his head. “Thank you.”

Two little words but they had Deran grinning from ear-to-ear. 

Who was he trying to fool? This wasn’t just a job. 

-0-

Now that the adrenaline surge had passed, Adrian was exhausted.

His cell phone chimed and he dug it out of his pocket. He groaned; it was his dad. More nagging about his decision.

“Is there a problem?” Deran’s voice was smooth and sexy and Adrian reminded himself that this was just a job for his friend. Could he even call Deran a friend? He still thought of him as one, especially now that he knew Smurf had never passed the letters he’d written on to Deran.

When his family had suddenly packed up and moved east, Adrian had been devastated. Deran had been his best friend and Adrian was starting to develop feelings other than friendship for the guy but he’d never gotten the chance to see what would happen.

The letters he’d mailed had gone unanswered and by the time social media was a thing, Adrian had assumed his friend wanted nothing to do with him and hadn’t tried reaching out.

Fucking Smurf. Although maybe nothing would’ve changed even if Deran had gotten his letters. He didn’t know what Deran thought of him except maybe that he was a pain in the ass. The whole getting locked in the trunk thing hadn’t exactly done anything for his street cred; he’d overreacted and now he looked like a hot mess. 

“Hey, you’re scowling. What’s going on?” He didn’t remember Deran being so…caring? Actually, that wasn’t true. Deran had been gruff but he’d always taken care of Adrian. Sure, he teased him but it had been in good fun instead of with a mean edge.

A hand wrapped around his wrist and squeezed. “Adrian, what’s wrong?”

Adrian turned his head, ready to snap something, but the words died on his tongue; Deran actually looked worried. When was the last time someone had worried on Adrian’s behalf?

His agent worried if he gained too much weight or didn’t get enough rest because it affected how he looked.

He knew Renn cared but as the director of this movie she had some of the same concerns as his agent because how he looked was crucial to telling the story.

His dad only worried because Adrian had told him he was taking a break from acting. If he decided to make a comeback, there might not be any jobs for him since it was such a fickle occupation. His dad didn’t care about his health—he just saw his gravy train derailing.

“Adrian?” Deran’s eyebrows rode high on his forehead and he sounded so fucking sincere.

Adrian forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong, I guess I’m just worn out.”

Deran looked dubious which meant his smile probably looked as anemic as it felt. His friend cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe you won’t have to take that pill after all.”

He shrugged, noncommittal. He might be exhausted but he was also keyed up. 

They pulled into a parking spot in front of a place right on the beach and Adrian looked around. “Shit, is this your place? You can literally walk out of your house and surf.”

Craig slid out of the driver’s seat, laughing. “He does that just about every day. Maybe we can surf in the morning before we go to the set?” He opened Adrian’s door for him. 

Deran was suddenly there, displacing Craig. “We should do that.” He held his hand out and Adrian took it, letting his friend tug him out of the SUV.

Shaking his head, Adrian bit his lip as he stared at the waves. It was calm at the moment but he bet in the morning the glassy surface would be replaced by perfect swells. Staring at the ocean reminded him of why he wanted to take a break from acting; he missed this so god-damn much.

Stepping between Adrian and the ocean, Deran stared at him, eyes wide. “You don’t surf anymore?”

Adrian laughed but he could hear the slight note of hysteria in the explosion of noise. “There’s a clause in my contract that prevents me from high risk activities of which they’ve listed surfing. I can’t wait for the moment I can grab a board and enjoy the waves.”

Deran shook his head but didn’t say anything. Instead he nudged Adrian. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

Sandwiched between both Codys as they trooped upstairs, Adrian admired the distressed looking wood siding in light blue; up close he could see it was quality, and expensive, and it really, really suited Deran.

Adrian’s shoulders slumped; Deran was living the life he wanted. Minus the bodyguard and security job. He would absolutely suck at that. But he could buy a little surfboard business and spend his days—except for when he was out on the water—taking care of boards and talking swells.

Maybe spend his nights with a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed—

Deran’s voice interrupted his musings. “Your bedroom is the first door on the right, followed by the bathroom and at the end of the hallway is my bedroom. Craig is getting your bag and he’ll be right back. Do you want me to order you something to eat?” 

So much for that fantasy. He had just been relegated to the friend zone although that made sense since he was just a job. “No, I think I’ll just take the pill and turn in, try to get some rest.”

“Adrian, you have to eat something.” Deran was channeling Smurf, who had always been pushing food on her sons, and it was actually very sweet. 

Except for the part where he really couldn’t have something to eat. “I’m not supposed to gain any more weight. In fact, I should lose a few pounds. But you go ahead and get whatever you want.”

He headed toward the room he’d be using but Deran intercepted him, holding on to his wrist in a loose grip. “Jesus, Adrian, you’re already skin and bones.”

Adrian agreed. Sadly, the camera didn’t agree. And then there was Renn. “There’s a scene we’re shooting tomorrow that requires Renn to lift and carry me. The less weight she has to lug around, the better.”

“Um, that’s kind of fucked up, isn’t it?” Deran sounded exasperated and Adrian didn’t blame him.

He shrugged. It made sense in the context of the script but he lacked the energy to explain it at the moment. “Thanks, Deran. For getting me out of the trunk. And for letting me stay here. I really appreciate it.” He tugged at his arm, trying to dislodge Deran’s light grasp.

He expected Deran to say something about this being his job but instead Deran shifted his grip from wrist to hand, squeezing. “You’re always welcome here.”

Craig entered the house, and they broke apart. Deran’s brother handed Adrian his bag. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing. Thanks, Craig. I’ll, uh, see you guys tomorrow.” This time, despite the exhaustion weighing on him, Adrian straightened his shoulders as he headed for the bathroom.

Deran said he was welcome here and sounded like he meant it.

His day had already gone from shitty to nice.

-0-

Deran was woken up by his cell phone. He was tempted to ignore it but a part of their business meant being available even when the timing sucked. He grabbed the phone and willed his vision to focus.

Renn. 

“’Morning, Renn.” At least he didn’t need to bullshit the woman. She was a no-nonsense kind of person and if he’d fawned over her, she would’ve probably fired them.

“Deran. Tell me Adrian’s with you.” Panic edged Renn’s directive.

Deran rolled out of bed and headed straight for the guest bedroom like a heat seeking missile. He couldn’t hear any noise from within so he quietly turned the doorknob and verified Adrian was still in bed.

The one sweep of the room revealed Adrian was exactly where he was supposed to be: Curled up on his side, eyelashes resting on sharp cheekbones. Deran wanted to perch on the side of the bed and touch the pale skin—

“Deran!” Renn roared in his ear and Deran backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Embarrassed by his distraction, Deran was happy Renn couldn’t see his face as it heated up. He took a deep breath. “I just visually confirmed he’s here, Renn. He’s still sleeping.”

“Thank fuck,” Renn exhaled.

Deran gave her a moment to compose herself. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“There was a fire at the hotel Adrian’s been staying at. His floor. Guests barely made it out.” Deran heard a shuddered sigh. “If he’d been there, had taken his sleeping pill, he never would’ve…” her words trailed off.

Fuck. If Adrian had stayed at the hotel, he would’ve most likely slept through the fire alarms. 

Deran had the urge to gather Adrian into his arms and never let him go.

Renn was still on the line. “Deran, don’t let him out of your sight. Please. Either you or Craig needs to stay with him. He’s my friend. I don’t think I could—”

“He’s fine, Renn. And we’ll keep him that way. I promise. We’ll see you on set in a couple of hours.” Deran disconnected before she could say anything further. He didn’t like the raw emotions he heard in Renn’s voice. He knew she was an actress but she wasn’t overly dramatic in her approach to things so to listen to her unravel shook Deran to the core.

Deran moved toward his bedroom, cataloguing the things he needed to get done. He’d call Craig and when he got there Deran would get cleaned up and then he’d have to tell Adrian what had happened.

He really, really didn’t want to but if he didn’t, someone else would and on the heels of “trunk-gate” yesterday Adrian was already putting out a vulnerable vibe.

Deran was worried what this news would do to his friend. 

He was also worried for Adrian’s safety. The fire was no coincidence. The threatening letters could’ve been harmless but torching a hotel floor was escalating things in a big way.

He needed to both keep Adrian out of harm’s way and figure out who was gunning for him.

Deran refused to lose Adrian now that he was back in his life.

-0-

“Could you repeat that, please?” Adrian’s ears were ringing. Or maybe he was dreaming that he was awake. Although that would make this a nightmare.

Deran guided him over to the couch and settled him on a cushion. He knelt down in front of Adrian so they were face to face and Adrian wanted Deran between his parted legs for a completely different reason though his body wasn’t on board with that at the moment.

His friend placed his palms on top of Adrian’s thighs and the connection helped bring the room back into focus. 

Licking his lips, Deran cleared his throat. “A fire broke out at the hotel last night. On your floor.”

It was a good thing Adrian was sitting down because gray spots instantly took over his field of vision and his hearing dimmed so he couldn’t make out Deran’s words.

Pressure on his shoulders guided him forward and he relaxed into the touch, trusting Deran would keep him safe.

He blinked his eyes open, surprised to find he was staring at his sleep pant clad shins. A warm hand cupped the back of his neck, grounding him.

“I think he’s coming around.” Deran was talking to someone else. Craig? 

Adrian used his abdominal muscles, all those planks finally paying off, to slowly sit upright. Deran’s living room came into focus along with his friend who was crouched in front of him.

“I’ll get him some water,” Craig offered before disappearing from sight.

“Hey, are you okay?” Deran’s eyebrows were pinched upward and he was frowning but his light blue eyes peered into Adrian’s face with a gentleness that made Adrian want to cry.

Adrian opened his mouth to answer but he didn’t know what to say and abruptly closed it. Had someone set a fire at the hotel on purpose because they knew Adrian was staying there? He’d actually thought this whole stalker thing was a PR stunt. It was exactly the kind of thing his dad would set up. But people, innocent people, could’ve been hurt and it might’ve been his fault if he was the target.

Although if he’d stayed at the hotel last night he might not be here right now. The Ambien had done its job, knocking him out soundly.

A body sank onto the couch next to him, warmth pressed against his side. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you, not on my watch.” Deran curled his arm around Adrian’s far shoulder and tugged him closer.

“First the trunk wouldn’t unlock and now this. I don’t understand why this is happening.” Adrian’s throat was dry and his voice cracked.

“Adrian, listen to me.” Deran actually put his big palm on Adrian’s cheek and turned his head so they were staring at each other. Adrian could get lost in Deran’s eyes. He had to refocus when Deran kept speaking in that low, rumbly voice. “We’re going to find out what’s going on but my priority is keeping you safe. I’m going to take care of you.” 

He nodded his head. Adrian had always prided himself on being self-sufficient but at the moment he wanted nothing more than for Deran to take care of everything.

-0-

Deran didn’t know what to expect from today’s shoot. It didn’t help that he was in a weird head space. Not knowing where the threat to Adrian was coming from was making him restless.

Once they’d arrived on set, he’d barely gotten more than a few words alone with his friend before Renn was barging in and talking shop. While Adrian had changed, he’d gone toe-to-toe with Director Randall while Craig stood silently by. He’d refused to be shooed off the set—how could they protect Adrian if he wasn’t within his sights—but they’d been relegated to the side. 

Renn had left the stage, giving Deran and Craig a stern look, once Adrian had appeared in costume and not being closer to his friend was driving him crazy. From his vantage point he couldn’t see or hear anything the production designer, make-up artist and costume designer were doing and saying as they swirled around the bed, making sure Adrian was ready for filming. He consoled himself that at least he could see who was coming and going.

Finally, all non-essential personnel were dismissed and Renn reappeared. She cut a striking figure in the black leather pants and vest that showcased her athletic curves and also broadcasted that she was a bad-ass. He glanced briefly at Craig who seemed completely smitten. 

Deran was equally smitten. Adrian was in the threadbare jeans and white button-down shirt although some buttons had been undone so that the shirt gaped off a shoulder. He was on his side with his arms pulled behind him, wrists bound with thick, chunky looking rope. His ankles were also bound with the same textured rope.

There was something about seeing Adrian tied up that did it for him. He could imagine winding the rope around Adrian’s body, pushing it into all sorts of crevices and creases and then tracing the path of the rope with his own hands. He discretely adjusted himself although no one was paying him any attention; the few people on the set were focused on the action taking place center stage.

The Steadicam operator didn’t need to call for quiet, instead settling for a soft, “Action.”

Renn hustled toward the bed, her character cringing as she found her best friend tied up. A noise off-stage made her jump, hell, it made Deran jump, but it was a part of the scene as Renn quickly rolled Adrian to his back.

When she couldn’t rouse him, she looked over her shoulder and then grim resolution settled over her features. She pulled Adrian into a sitting position, his head rolling on his neck, then tugged him to his feet. Letting gravity, and Adrian, do the work Renn tipped him over one shoulder. Once his weight was distributed well, she straightened to her full height.

With a pat to his ass, she muttered the catchphrase the studio hoped would make fans swoon. “Let’s get this sweet ass to safety.”

Renn handled the load admirably, striding toward the edge of the set, the Steadicam operator pacing alongside until he yelled, “Cut!”

Face breaking into a wide smile, Renn headed for Deran. “Here, his sweet ass is yours now.” She leaned over so Adrian’s feet touched the ground and that’s when a tremendous crack sounded across the stage.

Deran had a sense of something hurtling their way and caught Adrian around his middle. Craig did the same with Renn. They all stumbled forward, landing in an awkward tangle of arms and legs as the stage reverberated. 

Rolling off the human mound, Deran saw a piece of metal catwalk lying twisted behind them. If they’d been a fraction slower in getting out of the way, they could’ve been twisted amidst the metal.

Deran scanned the ceiling and saw someone scurrying along the platforms. He couldn’t see many details but he had the impression it was a tall male and they had something blue hanging out of their back pocket.

Renn pushed herself to her feet, shaking off Craig’s help, snapping directions. 

Adrian was still stretched out on his stomach but Deran didn’t know if that was due to injury or because he was tied up. “Hey, you okay?” He kneeled down and touched Adrian’s shoulder and squeezed it softly.

“I think so. Do you think you could cut me loose?” Adrian didn’t sound as freaked out as Deran had expected but he saw a quiver shake through his body.

Deran tried to cut the tension with humor. “I don’t know. I kind of like you all tied up.”

Adrian turned his head, peering over his shoulder at Deran. His pupils expanded while Deran watched. “Really? We’re going to talk about this now?” Adrian sounded incredulous but he also looked intrigued by the idea.

“Here, let’s clear the area.” Craig knelt down on Adrian’s other side and pulled out a Swiss Army Knife, cutting through the rope until Adrian’s limbs were free.

Deran helped Adrian to his feet. His copper colored hair was flopping across his forehead, dipping over an eye, and his shirt still hung off a shoulder exposing creamy, freckled skin. If it hadn’t been for the scared look on Adrian’s face as he surveyed the wreckage, Deran would’ve had a hard time keeping his hands off the guy.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” He curled an arm around Adrian’s low back, resting his hand on his hip. He told himself it was in case Adrian felt faint but really Deran just needed to be close.

Adrian could’ve been crushed by the metal catwalk, especially with his limbs bound up for the scene. Deran pushed that out of his mind as he surveyed the area around them. 

Craig and Renn had their heads together, a heated discussion underway.

The production designer, make-up artist, costume designer and cam operator all stood on the other side of the room, faces showing varying degrees of authentic looking shock and horror as they stared at the catwalk.

Deran knew none of these people had been up on the platforms. That person had moved spryly and he’d had the sense it was a male. A male with a blue bandana in their back pocket. He didn’t think one of the crew had been involved, period; their shell-shocked faces seemed to indicate their lack of involvement. But maybe someone had seen something. Or someone.

He detoured so they passed by his brother. “Craig, can you get statements from the crew before the police arrive? I’ll be with Adrian.” 

Craig nodded. “I’m on it.” 

He had a vague memory of someone from his past wearing a blue bandana but it wasn’t coming to him. 

Once he got Adrian somewhere safe, he was going to devote all his resources to figuring it out.

Now that he had Adrian back in his life, he wasn’t going to lose him.

-0-

Adrian was numb. 

Someone had actually tried to kill him. He felt extremely lucky that Renn, Craig and Deran were all uninjured.

Deran, his protector, who kept him close to his side as they headed toward his trailer. The only thing keeping Adrian on his feet right now was the heat he remembered in Deran’s eyes as he’d looked him over. That and his comment about liking him tied up.

He was pretty sure that was going to feature in his spank-bank even if nothing ever developed between them.

They were steps from his trailer when a sharp pain sliced into his heel. He stumbled to a halt, hissing as he tried to put weight on his right foot. Deran looked around before he had Adrian lean against the metallic door face first. “Lift your foot for me.”

Feeling like a horse who’d thrown a shoe, Adrian bent his knee and kicked his foot behind him. Deran cradled it gently in his hands. “Fuck, you’ve got what looks like glass embedded in there.”

Adrian let his forehead rest against the door, feeling woozy.

“Nope, none of that. Let’s get you inside.” Deran pulled him back away from the door before he reached past Adrian with a key and opened it up. He steadied Adrian so he leaned his weight on the doorjamb.

Deran entered the trailer and Adrian was distracted from images of glass in his foot as he watched Deran’s perfect ass go up the steps before he disappeared inside.

Before Adrian could ask what he was doing, Deran muttered a soft, “Clear.”

Adrian got a front row seat for viewing Deran’s equally stunning front side as he descended the stairs. His sightline was at Deran’s crotch level for a few precious seconds so he could closely observe Deran’s generous package bulging in his well-worn jeans.

“Okay, your color is for shit. Let’s go.” Deran pulled Adrian backward and he squawked in alarm. 

Strong arms lifted him from his feet and he found himself cradled against Deran’s chest, his forehead resting against the side of his neck. Breathing in his spicy scent.

He kept his eyes closed and just enjoyed the sensation of Deran taking care of him. When Renn had carried him for the scene he’d been relaxed because he trusted her; he knew a woman carrying a man was going to be funny to some people but to him it just showed how strong Renn’s character was and how far she’d go to protect her friend. He thought maybe he should be embarrassed right now but instead he found it sexy. It would’ve been sexier if his forehead and foot weren’t throbbing in time to his heartbeats.

He blinked his eyes open and saw Deran leaning over him, skin between his eyebrows pinched in concern. Shit, he’d lost a little time. 

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Deran’s voice was low and smoky. It made Adrian think of sex.

Sex was on his brain.

His cock chubbed, his balls pulling upward; sex was on other parts of his body, too.

Embarrassed at his response, Adrian tried to sit up.

Deran firmly pushed back on his shoulders. “Just lie still for another minute. You’ve had a few shocks and you need to give yourself a chance to recover.”

He relaxed back onto the couch and surveyed his aches and pains. Everything felt better including his heel. “Did you fix my foot?”

Smiling softly, Deran nodded. “I took care of everything and bandaged you up. I think the set doctor is going to take a look at it but for now you don’t need to do anything except relax.”

Adrian took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Maybe fainting hadn’t been embarrassing if it meant not being awake while Deran had dug the glass out of his heel. He didn’t like blood. Or the idea of glass inside of his foot.

Deran’s warm hand cupped his cheek. “You’ve gone really pale again. Are you still with me?”

Opening his eyes, Adrian was startled to find Deran inches from his face.

He didn’t give it any thought, instead listening to his body, as he lunged upward and brushed his lips against Deran’s, licking along the seam of flesh.

Deran pushed back until Adrian’s head rested against the couch. He took control of the kiss, his tongue licking into Adrian’s mouth, engaging his tongue. It was sloppy and wet and everything Adrian thought sex between them would be like. 

He became lightheaded as the kiss continued on. Deran pulled away and after Adrian remembered to breathe, he groaned his disapproval. 

“If you remembered to breathe you wouldn’t almost pass out. Does that happen to you often?” Playful Deran had made an appearance. Adrian loved playful Deran. 

Who was Adrian kidding? He loved every side of Deran.

Adrian smiled shyly, staring into Deran’s pretty blue eyes. “That’s never happened to me before.”

A loud knock at the trailer door interrupted their conversation. Deran approached with caution but he must’ve recognized who was there because he opened the door. Craig and Renn entered the small trailer.

Pushing himself first to his elbows and then completely upright, Adrian swung his legs around so there was room on the couch next to him. 

Renn took advantage of the space, dropping down heavily next to him. “What the fuck happened to your foot?” The words were harsh but her tone was concerned.

“He stepped on some glass.” Deran at least didn’t disclose he’d passed out.

His friend rolled her eyes. “I don’t even want to know.” Then her face tightened up and she looked serious. “I _do_ want to know if you left permission for your father to be on set.”

Adrian frowned. “No. There’s no way in hell I’d authorize that. Why?” He supposed he loved his dad, was used to his harsh judgments and ways, but he didn’t exactly like the guy. He did his duty by him and tried to be patient and kind but he didn’t like to spend time with him if he could avoid it.

He’d always had the sense his dad felt the same way about him, too, although he could never figure out what he’d done, especially when he was a toddler.

“Someone saw a man with a blue bandana in his back pocket and your dad is the only loser I know who does that. The eighties called and they want that damned bandana back,” she huffed.

Deran interrupted their banter. “Your dad still wears a blue bandana in his back pocket?”

“Um, yeah? Is that a regular crime as well as a fashion crime?” Adrian wasn’t following the conversation here. Deran had his _don’t fuck with me, this is serious_ face on and the only thing he could imagine causing that reaction was figuring out who had caused this accident.

_Fuck_. Adrian’s heart sank; his dad was somehow involved.

Deran knelt down in front of him. “I think I know who’s behind the threats.” His friend very considerately didn’t mention the fact they were more than threats. People had almost died.

Deran had almost died.

Adrian thrust his fingers through his hair and tugged.

He made a vow to himself—the next time Deran knelt between his legs it was going to involve sex and not this _whatever the hell_ his dad had been orchestrating for PR.

-0-

The last month had been hard on Deran’s lover. 

Adrian had finished the movie shoot, quit the business and found out his dad really wasn’t his dad and, the cherry on top, that his non-dad had tried to kill him.

Adrian’s mom had supposedly had an affair and Nico Dolan had loved her so much—perhaps obsessively so—that he’d remained with her. He’d always treated Adriana Dolan with loving kindness but not so her bastard son. When Adrian had threatened to cut off Nico’s money source by quitting the business, he’d tried ending Adrian, permanently, presumably for the life insurance money.

At least that was the Oceanside PD’s best guess; Nico Dolan wasn’t talking.

The man sitting before him had been through hell and back. Deran planned on giving him something else to concentrate on that wouldn’t cause him pain and grief.

Or at least not grief; if there was pain, Deran was pretty certain it would be the good kind. Adrian said he loved a little pain, loved it when Deran took control, and really, really loved Deran.

They’d exchanged those three little words back after the movie shoot was over. Right before Deran had invited Adrian to move into his house with him.

He touched Adrian’s pale inner thighs and spread his legs farther apart.

Deran had gotten the blue skein of 5/16 poly cord at Lowes; it was the best $2 he ever spent.

He’d watched the tutorial so many times he could hear it in his sleep. He might even be able to do this in his sleep but that couldn’t possibly be as much fun as doing it while awake.

After getting Adrian situated on the bed, naked, Deran had tied a simple overhand knot at the end of the rope around the base of Adrian’s long, beautiful cock and sweet, touchable, tight balls. 

Fun was exactly what he’d had when he slipped the loop around so the knot was under Adrian’s balls, pulling the cord so it was nice and snug. When Deran had slid his finger under the knot while tightening to avoid pinching the pale, delicate skin of his scrotum, Adrian had moaned delightfully. The noises coming out of his parted lips had been positively pornographic when Deran had smoothly wrapped the rope, flattening it neatly around his cock and balls. 

Now Deran brought the rope down between the balls, admiring the way Adrian’s skin flushed against the blue cord. He crossed the cord behind the scrotum and then repeated the motions on the other side, bringing the rope down under the balls and then crossing over in the back. 

It was like wrapping a present; the fun would last deep into the night when he unwrapped it, too. 

He knew the more wraps around the balls, the tighter the cord would squeeze, so he went with three passes. Adrian’s balls plumped and pushed against the restraint and they were the fucking sexiest thing Deran had ever seen. He couldn’t wait to play with them.

He made himself move on because he was pretty sure he could stare at the treat in front of him all day.

At least until Adrian whispered, “Deran. Please.” 

Keeping his lover on the edge was all well and good but Deran was getting impatient himself.

He brought the cord around to the top, lifted Adrian’s cock away from his body, and wrapped, wrapped, wrapped but only around his penis this time. If he put too much pressure on Adrian’s delicate balls it might shorten their playtime together.

It didn’t take long before he came to the end of the rope but he remembered, barely, to leave the last loop slack. With shaking fingers, he tied two simple overhand knots and pulled them nice and taut. He used the safety scissors to trim the loose end. 

_Holy fuck._

Deran had never seen anything as captivating as this, not even on porn. Adrian’s cock was beautifully bound, leaving his balls and cockhead exposed—and available—for all kinds of fun.

He licked his lips. “Adrian.” His voice rasped embarrassingly. He swallowed and tried again. “You look fucking incredible.”

Adrian wriggled a little on the bed, flexing his pecs, abs and arms as he tried to find a comfortable position. Deran had wrapped Adrian’s torso, too. 

Moistening his lips, eyes hidden from sight behind a blindfold, Adrian asked softly, “Could you, uh, take a picture?”

_Fuck_. Adrian was a little bit kinky.

He was the perfect match for Deran.

“Sure, babe.” He patted Adrian’s inner thigh as he rose to his feet to grab his cell phone. 

Adrian’s balls swelled against their confines and his cock quivered.

He finished his thought although his words came out strangled as he fought not to orgasm in his boxer briefs as the sight of Adrian’s throbbing body. “Don’t worry, I’m going to take care of you.”

And Deran meant it; he would take care of all of Adrian’s needs. 

Always.

Finis

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this one was fire. Deran and Adrian supplied the heat on this one!
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
